Antarctica!

 

It is now Thursday lunch time, fourth day at sea, and I have lost a sense of time already.

Yesterday was much calmer, and the stars came out the evening before last, with the Southern Cross straight above whilst we were on watch, mindful of our approach to colder waters and the very remote risk of icebergs. After my shift, whilst asleep, we crossed 60 degrees South, the official international entry latitude to Antarctic waters. At about this latitude lies the Polar Convergence, the meeting of the freezing waters of the Circumpolar Current that rotates around the continent, and the more northerly, warmer water. The water temperature drops suddenly and significantly. We have no sea thermometer but it is probably now only 3 degrees or so. Survival time in the water is 5-7 minutes, so we try not to fall in. When it is a bit rough we hook our life jacket/harness to the boat with a safety line.

20 knot winds kept us sailing at a cracking pace, with the full yardage of sail out at one point. I had another spell at the wheel again – not really necessary as there is a computer auto-pilot, but it is a little smoother, at times, and fun, at times. From the helm I spotted the first iceberg, one of those huge tabular things with an area of a few kilometres square, 100m high or so. It was 10km away and so safely away from us. Then not soon after there were whales blowing 50m off the deck. All happening! Occasionally penguins surface and dive through the air.

This morning I was on for a 6am watch. On rising to the pilothouse on view was my first sighting of Antarctica, Smith Island. The 2km high island was shrouded in dense cloud, with black rocks spaced between the glaciers visible only in the lower 100m. It was a rather gloomy first glimpse, but exciting and satisfying nonetheless.

There are a few more pods of whales – sei whales and humpbacks. One group of "flying" penguins was followed by the ominous showing of a seal out for breakfast.

A couple of small icebergs have drifted by, and we have passed Low Island and then Hoseason Is, turning right down the Croker Passage towards Brabant Is.

As effective members of the crew, we are obliged to help with daily chores, as well as helping with the cooking and washing up etc. Somehow I manage to keep myself occupied, doing far less reading than I expected. There is a well-stocked and interesting library on board, so must try harder. Yet now there is much more to look at outside.